Clothes washing machine incorporating an improved combination balance ring and clothes guard device



Oct. 11, 1966 D. E. STELLI ETAL 273,037

CLOTHES WASHING MACHINE INCORPORATING AN IMPROVED COMBINATION BALANCE RING AND CLOTHES GUARD DEVICE Filed Oct. 2, less 5 Sheets-$heet 1 FIG.

/4b 26 MC 22 27 INVFNTORS DAN/EL E. STELL/ EDWARD S. GARBARCZYK BY A TTYS.

3,278,037 OVED Oct. 11, 1966 D. E. STELLI ET AL CLOTHES WASHING MACHINE INCORPORATING AN IMPR COMBINATION BALANCE RING AND CLOTHES GUARD DEVICE Filed Oct. 2, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.2

INVENTORS DAN/EL E. STELL/ E DWA RD 3. GA RBA RCZYK Oct. 11, 1966 D. E. STELLI ETAL CLOTHES WASHING MACHINE INCORPORATING AN IMPROVED COMBINATION BALANCE RING AND CLOTHES GUARD DEVICE Filed Oct. 2, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 50 mvEwToRs DAN/EL E. STELL/ EDWARD S. GARBARCZYK da c 7M2) ATTYS.

United States Patent 3,278,037 CLOTHES WASHING MACHINE [NCORPORATING AN IIVIPROVED COMBINATION BALANCE RING AND CLOTHES GUARD DEVICE Daniel E. Stelli, Lombard, and Edward S. Garbarczyk, Chicago, Ill., assignors to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Filed Oct. 2, 1963, Ser. No. 313,327 6 Claims. (Cl. 210-363) The present invention relates to a clothes washing machine comprising an upstanding spin tub having an open top and incorporating a combination balance ring and clothes guard device, and more particularly to such a combination device that insures maximum water-extraction from the wet clothes contained in the spin tub in the spinning operation thereof, that minimizes gyration of the spin tub in the spinning operation thereof in the event it is unbalanced by uneven distribution of the contained wet clothes, that positively prevents flinging of the contained wet clothes from the open top of the spin tub in the spinning operation thereof, and that insures no damage to the contained wet clothes in the spinning operation of the spin tub.

It is a general object of the invention to provide in a clothes washing machine of the type noted, a combination balance ring and clothes guard device of the character described, wherein the combination device is of improved and simplified construction and arrangement and may be economically manufactured and readily applied to a spin tub of conventional construction.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a clothes washing machine of the type noted, a combination balance ring and clothes guard that is of one-piece molded construction and formed essentially of a synthetic organic resin that possesses characteristics that are substantially ideal for this purpose and that is a low-cost material and that may be simply and economically manufactured.

Further features of the invention pertain to the particular arrangement of the elements of the combination balance ring and clothes guard carried by the top of the spin tub of the clothes washing machine, whereby the above-outlined and additional operating features thereof are attained.

The invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view, partly broken away, of a clothes washing machine comprising an upstanding clothes-receiving spin tub and a combination balance ring and clothes guard carried by the top of the spin tub, and embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of the upper left-hand portion of the clothes washing machine, as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the combination device, as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a greatly enlarged vertical sectional view of the combination device, this view being taken in the direction of the arrows along the line 44 in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is another greatly enlarged vertical sectional view, similar to FIG. 4, of the combination device, this view being taken in the direction of the arrows along the line 5-5 in FIG. 3.

Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the automatic clothes washing machine there illustrated, and embodying the features of the present invention, comprises a substantially rectangular base 11 that carries an upstanding outer casing 12 of hollow box-like form and provided with a top wall 13 and carrying an upstanding backsplash 14 adjacent to the rear thereof. Arranged in the upper portion of the outer casing 12 is an upstanding drain tub 14 that is provided with a generally horizontal bottom wall 14a that is supported by upstanding structure 15 carried by the base 11; whereby the drain tub bottom wall 14a defines a machinery compartment 16 in the lower portion of the outer casing 12. Arranged in the central portion of the machinery compartment 16 is an upstanding composite mechanism 17 that is preferably of the general construction and arrangement of that disclosed in US. Patent No. 2,639,618, granted on May 26, 1953 to Jacob W. McNairy; which mechanism 17 includes a reversible electric motor, indicated at 18. The central lower bell of the housing of the motor 18 carries a depending stud 19 that is received in and supported by a cooperating bearing 20 that is mounted upon a spider-like structure 21 carried by the base 11; which bearing 20 accommodates gyration thereabout of the mechanism 17 and about its upstanding longitudinal axis within the machinery compartment 16. The mechanism 17 is normally centered in its upstanding position by a plurality of coil springs 22 acting between a ring 23 carried by the casing of the mechanism 17 and the upper portion of the structure 15; which coil springs 22 are disposed in substantially equally angularly spaced-apart relation about the ring 23 for the centering purpose.

Arranged within the central portion of the drain tub 14 is an upstanding clothes-receiving basket or spin tub 24, and arranged within the central portion of the spin tub 24 is an upstanding dasher or actuator 25. The spin tub 24 is mounted upon the upper end of an. upstanding tube 26 projecting out of the top of the casing of the mechanism 17 through a centrally located opening 1411 provided in the bottom wall of the drain tub 14; and the agitator 25 is mounted upon the upper end of an upstanding shaft 27 arranged within the tube 26 and also projecting out of the top of the casing of the mechanism 17 through the opening 14b provided in the bottom Wall 14a of the drain tub 14 and further projecting through an aligned centrally disposed opening provided in the bottom of the spin tub 24.

The electric motor 18 is so constructed and arranged that when it is energized with a first polarity it runs in the forward direction, and when it is energized with the opposite polarity it runs in the reverse direction. The mechanism 17 is so constructed and arranged that forward running of the electric motor 18 at its normal speed causes the shaft 27 to be oscillated at about 6'4 times per minute, and that reverse running of the electric motor 18 at its normal speed causes the tube 26 to be rotated continuously in a given direction at a speed of about 640 rpm Of course, oscillation of the shaft 27 effects corresponding oscillation of the agitator 25, and continuous rotation of the tube 26 effects corresponding continuous rotation or spinning of the spin tub 24.

The marginal edge of the opening 14b provided in the bottom wall 14a of the drain tub 1-4 is: sealed to the bottom of the spin tub 24 by a flexible boot 28 that prevents water contained in the drain tub 14 from spilling through the opening 14b into the machinery compartment 16 and that accommodates rotation of the spin tub 24 while maintaining the seal to hold the water in the drain tub 14. Also, the mechanism 17 comprises a drain pump, thereof that is provided with an inlet pipe 29 and outlet pipe 30. The inlet pipe 29 communicates with a sump 140 provided in the bottom wall 14a of the drain tub 14, and the outlet pipe 30 communicates with drain plumbing, not shown. The mechanism 17 is so constructed and arranged that when the motor 18 is rotated in the reverse direction the drain pump mentioned is not shown, and housed in the casing operated to pump water from the drain tub 14 via the sump 14c and the inlet pipe 29 and to discharge the water via the outlet pipe 30 to the drain plumbing mentioned.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the upper portion of the drain tub 14 throats inwardly, as indicated at 14d, and terminated immediately below the top wall 13 of the outer casing 12; and the extreme top edge of the throat 14d is sealed to the lower surface of the top wall 13 by an annular gasket 31 carried by the top edge of the throat 14d; which gasket 31 may be formed of soft rubber, or the like. The top Wall 13 has a centrally disposed depression 13a formed therein that receives a cooperating top door 32; and the central portion of the depression 13a terminates in a top opening 13b that is selectively opened and closed by the top door 32. Also, the top opening 13b is provided with a downwardly directed and outwardly flared surrounding rim 13c. The spin tub 24 comprises an upwardly and outwardly flared annular side wall 24a having an open top terminating below the top wall 13 and in surrounding relation with the top opening 13b and well therebelow.

An annular balance ring 40 is secured in place upon the top of the side wall 24a of the spin tub 24 and projects upwardly therefrom in surrounding relation with the top opening 13b and terminating somewhat therebelow. The outer circumference of the balance ring 40 is disposed substantially flush with the outer circumference or top of side wall 24a, while the inner circumference of the balance ring 40 projects well radially inwardly with respect to the inner surface of the side Wall 2461; whereby the balance ring 40 is disposed in overhanging relation with the open top of the side wall 24a so as to constitute a guard to prevent the clothes contained in the spin tub 24 from being flung from the open top thereof incident to spinning thereof.

As best shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, inclusive, the balance ring 40 is of one-piece construction, including a generally cylindrical upstanding outer wall 41, a generally cylindrical upstanding inner wall 42, a generally horizontal annular bottom wall 43 extending between the bottom of the outer wall 41 and the bottom of the in ner wall 42, and an annular top wall 44 sloping upwardly and radially inwardly from the top of the outer wall 41 to the top of the inner wall 42. Six lugs 45 are formed integrally with the balance ring 40 and depend from the bottom wall 43, the lugs 45 being disposed in substantially equally circumferenti-ally spacedapart relation with respect to each other. Each of the lugs 45 is positioned slightly radially inwardly with respect to the outer wall 41 so as to define a narrow shoulder 46 therebetween and positioned below the plane of the bottom wall 43. When the balance ring 40 occupies its supported position on the top of the spin tub 24, the six circumferentially spacide-apart shoulders 45 engage the top edge of the side wall 24a of the spin tub 24, as shown in FIG. 4, so as to provide six circumferentially spaced-apart elongated annular slots 47 between the top edge of the side wall 24a and the bottom wall 43 of the balance ring 40, as shown in FIG. 5. Also the six lugs 45 depend into the open top of the spin tub 24 and respectively engage the adjacent portions of the top inner surface of the side wall 24a, as shown in FIG. 4. The balance ring 40 is secured in place on top of the spin tub 24 by six circumferentially spaced-apart bolts 48 having shanks projecting through pairs of aligned holes respectively formed in the lugs 45 and in the side wall 24a; which shanks carry cooperating nuts 49 on the outer ends thereof, as best shown in FIG. 2.

Further, the balance ring 40 comprises a great plurality of fingers 50 formed integrally therewith and projecting downwardly from the bottom Wall 43 into the open top of the spin tub 24. The fingers 50 are arranged in a plurality of concentric rows (four in number), as best upon the clothes contained in the spin tub 24.

shown in FIG. 3, between the outer and inner walls 41 and 42; these rows are disposed in radially spaced-apart relation with respect to each other; and the individual fingers 50 in each row are arranged in circumferentially spaced-apart relation with respect to each other. Each of the fingers 50 extend through a small radial angle and is thus arcuate shaped. Also, the lower end of each finger 50 has rounded corners and edges; and each finger 50 otherwise has a smooth outer surface and is totally devoid of sharp corners, points, edges, etc., that would pierce, cut or hang the clothes contained in the spin tub 24. Finally, it is noted that the fingers 50 in the several rows are disposed in radial alignment with each other, so as to provide radially extending passages 51 therebetween disposed at the bottom Wall 43 and directed outwardly into the slots 47.

Finally, eight substantially equally circumferentially spaced-apart annular pockets 52 are formed in the top wall 44 of the balance ring 44 and each of the pockets 52 is adapted to receive one or more washer-like weights 53 formed of lead, or other heavy material, for the purpose of effecting initial dynamic balance of the spin t-ub 24 carrying the balance ring 40. Of course, the weight 53, as shown in FIG. 2, comprises a plurality of individual balance weights that are placed in the one or more pockets 52 on the light side of the balance ring 40 in accordance with conventional dynamic balance procedure. The weights 53 in each group are secured in place by a bolt 54 having a shank projecting therethrough and through an aligned hole formed in the balance ring 40; and the lower end of the shank carries a cooperating nut 55, as shown in FIG. 2.

Also, the machine 10 comprises a flexible throat sleeve 60 formed of rubber, or tee like, and including an upper annular bead 61 stretched over and secured in place by the annular rim 13c surrounding the top opening 13b, and a lower annular head 62 depending into the central opening provided in the balance ring 40 and spaced radially inwardly of the inner wall 42 thereof. Of course, the throat sleeve 60 provides a smooth passageway between the interior of the spin tub 24 and the exterior through the top opening 13b, when the top door 32 occupies its open position, thereby to facilitate placement and removal of clothes with respect to the interior of the spin tub 24.

Further, the machine 10 comprises a water supply system, not shown, and an automatic circuit control network, not shown, that are of any conventional form, such, for example, as disclosed in US. Patent No. 2,957,329, granted on October 25, 1960 to Vito'Re'.

Considering now the general mode of operation of the machine 10, and assuming that the spin tub 24 contains a change of wash water, a suitable quantity of detergent and clothes to be washed, to initiate a washing operation, forward running of the motor 18 is initiated; whereby the agitator 25 is oscillated to effect a washing action To terminate the washing operation, forward running of the motor 18- is arrested. To initiate a water-extraction operation, reverse running of the water 18 is initiated; whereby the spin tub 24 is rotated or spun, so that the change of wash water is subjected to centrifugal forces causing it to proceed upwardly along the side wall 24a. The wash water is flung through the annular slots 47 formed between the top edge of the side wall 24a and the bottom wall 43 of the balance ring 40. The radially inwardly projecting annular portion of the balance ring 40 constitutes a clothes guard to prevent the clothes contained in the spin tub 24 from being flung from the open top thereof in the spinning or water-extraction operation. In the subsequent stage of the spinning operation substantial wash water is extracted from the clothes contained in the spin tub 24; and in this spinning operation, the wash water that is flung from the spin tub 24 is caught in the drain tub 14 and drained therefrom via the sump 14c and the inlet pipe 29 into the drain pump; and the drain pump is operated to discharge the wash water via the outlet pipe 30 to the drain plumbing. To terminate the water-exteraction operation, reverse running of the motor 18 is arrested.

During the water-extraction operation, should the clothes in the spin tub 24 become unevenly distributed about the upper portion of the side wall 24a and below the balance ring 40, then an unbalanced condition of the spin tub 24 is presented; whereby the spin tub 24 not only spins about its upstanding longitudinal axis, but it also gyrates thereabout rotating about the bearing 20 carried by the structure 21 and receiving the stud 19 carried by the lower end bell of the motor 18. This gyratory motion of the mechanism 17 and the spin tub 24 as a unit, about the bearing 20 is resiliently opposed by the coil springs 22 acting between the ring 23 carried by the mechanism 17 and the structure 15 carried by the base 11, since the coil springs 22 bias this unit into an upstanding or vertical position. Also, this gyratory motion of this unit is dynamically opposed and minimized by the balance ring 40 that is carried by the top of the spin tub 24. In order to render the dynamic effect of the balance ring 40 quite substantial, it ordinarily has a weight in the general range 20 to 25 pounds.

In the event the unbalance of the spin tub 24 is quite substantial, the gyratory motion of the unit about the bearing 20 may become so substantial that the balance ring 40 actually strikes the walls of the drain tub 14, but this action requires a greatly unbalanced loading of the spin tub 24 and does not often occur.

Considering further the construction and arrangement of the balance ring 40, it may be formed of any suitable material, such, for example, as cast iron. However, preferably, the balance ring 40 is of the construction and arrangement of that disclosed in the copending application of John S. Houston, Serial No. 313,020, filed October 1, 1963; whereby, in this case, the balance ring 40 essen tially comprises a onepiece injection molded element formed of synthetic organic resin. While a number of such synthetic organic resins are available for this purpose, the most satisfactory such material from the standpoints of low cost, easy molding and desirable physical and chemical properties is buna S or GR-S, which material is a synthetic rubber, essentially comprising copolymers of butadiene and styrene. Specifically, butadiene and styrene are copolymerized by emulsion polymerization in approximately a 3:1 ratio by weight. This product is characterized by high tensile strength, substantial resilience, substantial elasticity and excellent abrasion resistance. Of course, the product is corrosion resistant and undergoes no deterioration in the environment of Wash water containing detergents and other chemical clothes-treating agents. Further, the product has a high resistance to water absorption, and undergoes no substantial deterioration with age.

While this product has a specific gravity of only about 0.94, it can be readily loaded or filled with heavy gross inert materials, such as magnetite, sharp sand, quartz, barium sulfate, lead carbonate, etc., so as to increase the specific gravity of the resin to that required herein. Specificially, the filled resin should have a specific gravity in the general range 3 to 4 so that the balance ring 33 has a total weight in the general range 20 to 25 pounds with the normal dimensions thereof that are convenient for the design of the clothes washing machine 10.

In a constructional example of the balance ring 40, the external diameter thereof may be 21.4", the internal diameter thereof may be 17", each of the fingers 50 may project downwardly below the bottom wall 43 about 0.6 to about 0.65", each of the fingers 50 may have a radial thickness of about 0.25", each of the passages 51 may have a circumferential width of about 0.40, and the radial center lines of adjacent ones of the passages 51 may be displaced by an angle of about 15. The heights of the outer and inner Walls 41 and 42 depend upon the specific gravity of the material of which the balance ring is formed. When the balance ring 40 is formed of cast iron having a specific gravity of about 6.0, the outer and inner walls may have heights of about 0.30" and about 1.00", respectively. When the balance ring 40 is formed of the preferred composition above described, the heights of the outer and inner walls 41 and 42 should be increased proportionally, so that the balance ring 40 has the required weight. As previously noted the balance ring 40 has a weight in the general range 20 to 25 pounds.

As previously noted, the matter of whether the weights 53 are required depends upon the initial dynamic balance of the unit 17 and the spin tub 24 after assembly of the balance ring 40 on the top of the spin tub 24 and when the spin tub 24 is empty. As a matter of manufacturing procedure, the dynamic balance of this combination is tested, when the spin tub 24 is empty. If unbalance is found, both the light position of the balance ring 40 is determined and the required weight is established, all in accordance with conventional practice. Then the required weights 53 are placed in the proper one or more pockets 52 and secured in place with the one or more bolts 54 and the cooperating one or more nuts 55 in an obvious manner.

Reconsidering the operation of the balance ring 40 as a clothes guard, when the spin tub is spun, the wash water first moves up the side wall 24a and is flung through the slots 47. Also, the clothes contained in the spin tub 24a move up the side wall 24a and are pressed into firm engagement with the fingers 50, whereby the clothes drape between the various fingers 50, without blocking the passages 51 and without stoppering or plugging the slots 47. Thus, the wash water, may be promptly emptied from the spin t-ub 24; and as the spinning thereof continues, the clothes draped upon the fingers 50 are subjected to a Very substantial water-extraction action, so as to effect a very high degree of water removal therefrom in the spinning operation of the spin tub 24. Moreover, the fingers 50 fix or locate the clothes early in the spinning operation, and while there is still substantial wash water in the spin tub 24, thereby to obtain a better and more even distribution of the clothes below the balance ring 40. This action prevents balling-up of the clothes and substantially reduces the probability of a substantial uneven distribution of the clothes and consequent substantial unbalance of the spin tub 24 during the last stage of spinning thereof, when the same is spun at its maximum speed. Of course, the fingers 50 hang the clothes sufficiently to prevent the same from being flung through the throat opening in the balance ring 40 and out of the open top of the spin tub 24. Thus, the balance ring 40 serves not only the balance function to minimize gyration of the spin tub 24 and the clothes guard function to prevent the clothes from being flung from the open top of the spin tub 24, but it also serves to improve the initial distribution of the clothes therebelow incident to the initial emptying of the wash Water from the spin tub 24 and preceding the high speed water-extraction action upon the clothes.

In view of the foregoing it is apparent that there has been provided in a clothes washing machine including an upstanding clothes-receiving basket of the type that is spun to eflect a water-extraction action upon the contained clothes, a balance ring of improved construction and arrangement carried by the top of the basket in surrounding relation with the open top thereof, wherein the balance ring also performs clothes-guard and clothesdistributing functions in an improved and simplified manner.

While there has been described what is at present considered to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that various modifications may be made therein, and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications as fall Within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a clothes washing machine including an upstanding imperforate clothes-receiving spin tub provided with an upwardly and outwardly directed annular side wall and having an open top, and means mounting said spin tub both for spinnig thereof about its upstanding central axis and for gyration thereof about its upstanding central axis during spinning thereof in the event of substantial unbalance thereof by the contained load of wet clothes; the combination comprising a unitary balance ring of substantial mass carried by the top of said spin tub for spinning and gyration therewith to minimize the gyration of said spin tub during spining thereof; said balance ring comprising an upstanding annular outer surface of a diameter substantially the same as that of the top of said spin tub, an upstanding annular inner surface of a diameter substantially smaller than that of the top of said spin tub and defining a corresponding annular throat opening between the exterior and the interior of said spin tub through the open top thereof, an annular bottom surface connecting said outer and inner surfaces and disposed in a subtantially horizontal plane positioned adjacent to and somewhat above the top of said spin tub to define a narrow annular slot therebetween, and a substantial plurality of fingers formed integrally with said balance ring and carried by said bottom surface and projecting downwardly therefrom into the open top of said spin tub and extending below said annular slot, said fingers being arranged in a plurality of radially spaced-apart concentric annular rows each containing a plurality of said fingers disposed in circumferentially spaced-apart relation with respect to each other, said fingers being substantially uniformly distributed over said bottom surface, each of said fingers having a thickness of the order of the width of said annular slot and being provided with a smooth outer surface free of all sharp points and sharp edges, whereby spinning of said spin tub causes the contained water to rise along said side wall and below said bottom surface and to be thrown radially outwardly from the top of said spin tub through said narrow annular slot and causes the contained wet clothes to rise with the contained water and to be pressed against said fingers, so that said fingers prevent the contained wet clothes from plugging said narrow annular slot and prevent the contained wet clothes from being flung through said annular throat opening to the exterior of said spin tub.

2. The clothes washing machine combination set forth in claim 1, wherein said balance ring and said fingers are of one-piece molded construction having a relatively high specific gravity and formed essentially of a synthetic organic resin characterized by high tensile strength, substantial resilience, low water absorptivity, and no corrosion or deterioration in the environment of wash water containing detergents and other chemical clothes-treating agents. 7

3. The clothes washing machine combination set forth in claim 2, wherein the resin of said balance ring consists essentially of a synthetic rubber product.

4. The clothes washing machine combination set forth in claim 2, wherein the resin of said balance ring consists essentially of copolymers of butadiene and styrene.

5. The clothes washing machine combination set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said fingers is of arcuate form subtending a small radial angle from the center of said throat opening. I

6. In a clothes washing machine including an upstanding imperforate clothes-receiving spin tub provided with an upwardly and outwardly directed annular side wall and having an open top, and means mounting said spin tub both for spinning thereof about its upstanding central axis and for gyration thereof about its upstanding central axis during spinning thereof in the event of substantial unbalance thereof by the contained load of wet clothes; the combination comprising a unitary balance ring of substantial mass carried by the top of said spin tub for spinning and gyration therewith to minimize the gyration of said spin tub during spinning thereof; said balance ring comprising an upstanding annular outer surface of a diameter substantially the same as that of the top of said spin tub, an upstanding annular inner surface of a diameter substantially smaller than that of the top of said spin tub and defining a corresponding annular throat opening between the exterior and the interior of said spin tub through the open top thereof, an annular bottom surface connecting the bottom of said outer surface and the bottom of said inner surface, an annular top surface connecting the top of said outer surface and the top of said inner surface, said top surface having a plurality of pockets formed therein and disposed in substantially equally circumferentially spaced-apart relation with respect to each other, said bottom surface being disposed in a substantially horizontal plane positioned adjacent to and somewhat above the top of said spin tub to define a narrow annular slot therebetween, and a substantial plurality of fingers carried by said bottom surface and projecting downwardly therefrom into the open top of said spin tub, said fingers being arranged in spaced-apart relation with respect to each other and being approximately uniformly distributed over said bottom surface, each of said fingers having a smooth outer surface and being free of all sharp points and sharp edges, whereby spinning of said spin tub causes the contained water to rise along said side wall and below said bottom surface and to be thrown radially outwardly from the top of said spin tub through said narrow annular slot and causes the contained wet clothes to rise with the contained water and to be pressed against said fingers, so that said fingers prevent the contained wet clothes from plugging said narrow annular slot and prevent the contained wet clothes from being flung through said annular throat opening to the exterior of said spin tub; and means including one or more balance weights respectively located and firmly anchored in place in one or more of said pockets for producing proper dynamic balance of said spin tub during spinning thereof in an empty condition.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 23,481 4/1952 Castner et al 210-363 X 2,836,993 6/1958 Johnson et al 68-23 X 2,972,877 2/1961 Platt 68-23 X FOREIGN PATENTS 346,162 6/ 1960 Switzerland.

REUBEN FRIEDMAN, Primary Examiner.

J. DE CESARE, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A CLOTHES WASHING MACHINE INCLUDING AN UPSTANDING IMPERFORATE CLOTHES-RECEIVING SPIN TUB PROVIDED WITH AN UPWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY DIRECTED ANNULAR SIDE WALL AND HAVING AN OPEN TOP, AND MEANS MOUNTING SAID SPIN TUB BOTH FOR SPINNING THEREOF ABOUT ITS UPSTANDING CENTRAL AXIS AND FOR GYRATION THEREOF ABOUT ITS UPSTANDING CENTRAL AXIS DURING SPINNING THEREOF IN THE EVENT OF SUBSTANTIAL UNBALANCE THEREOF BY THE CONTAINED LOAD OF WET CLOTHES; THE COMBINATION COMPRISING A UNITARY BALANCE RING OF SUBSTANTIAL MASS CARRIED BY THE TOP OF SAID SPIN TUB FOR SPINNING AND GYRATION THEREWITH TO MINIMIZE THE GYRATION OF SAID SPIN TUB DURING SPINING THEREOF; SAID BALANCE RING COMPRISING AN UPSTANDING ANNULAR OUTER SURFACE OF A DIAMETER SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME AS THAT OF THE TOP OF SAID PIN TUB, AN UPSTANDING ANNULAR INNER SURFACE OF A DIAMETER SUBSTANTIALLY SMALLER THAN THAT OF THE TOP OF SAID SPIN TUB AND DEFINING A CORRESPONDING ANNULAR THROAT OPENING BETWEEN THE EXTERIOR AND THE INTERIOR OF SAID SPIN TUBE THROUGH THE OPEN TOP THEREOF, AN ANNULAR BOTTOM SURFACE CONNECTING SAID OUTER AND INNER SURFACES AND DISPOSED IN A SUBTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL PLANE POSITIONED ADJACENT TO AND SOMEWHAT ABOVE THE TOP OF SAID SPIN TUB TO DEFINE A NARROW ANNULAR SLOT THEREBETWEEN, AND A SUBSTANTIALLY PLURALITY OF FINGERS FORMED INTEGRALLY WITH SAID BALANCE RING AND CARRIED BY SAID BOTTOM SURFACE AND PROJECTING DOWNWARDLY THEREFROM INTO THE OPEN TOP OF SAID SPIN TUB AND EXTENDING BELOW SAID ANNULAR SLOT, SAID FINGERS BEING ARRANGED IN A PLURALITY OF RADIALLY SPACED-APART CONCENTRIC ANNULAR ROWS EACH CONTAINING A PLURALITY OF SAID FINGERS DISPOSED IN CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED-APART RELATION WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER, SAID FINGERS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORMLY DISTRIBUTED OVER SAID BOTTOM SURFACE, EACH OF SAID FINGERS HAVING A THICKNESS OF THE ORDER OF THE WIDTH OF SAID ANNULAR SLOT AND BEING PROVIDED WITH A SMOOTH OUTER SURFACE FREE OF ALL SHARP POINTS AND SHARP EDGES, WHEREBY SPINNING OF SAID SPIN TUB CAUSES THE CONTAINED WATER TO RISE ALONG SAID SIDE WALL AND BELOW SAID BOTTOM SURFACE AND TO BE THROWN RADIALLY OUTWARDLY FROM THE TOP OF SAID SPIN TUB THROUGH SAID NARROW ANNULAR SLOT AND CAUSES THE CONTAINED WET CLOTHES TO RISE WITH THE CONTAINED WATER AND TO BE PRESSED AGAINST SAID FINGERS, SO THAT SAID FINGERS PREVENT THE CONTAINED WET CLOTHES FROM PLUGGING SAID NARROW ANNULAR SLOT AND PREVENT THE CONTAINED WET CLOTHES FROM BEING FLUNG THROUGH SAID ANNULAR THROAT OPENING TO THE EXTERIOR OF SAID SPIN TUB. 